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(11/05/20 11:09pm)
by Conner Tighe
Role-playing mechanics were never at their peak until 2001’s Final Fantasy X was released. Easily one of Final Fantasy’s best releases, if not the best, the tenth video game entry holds superior gameplay and a story lasting well past a decade that can’t be said for other role-playing games since then. Japanese company Squaresoft, now Square Enix, is known for its work with other popular titles, like the Kingdom Hearts Series. The series, which featured characters and designs inspired from the Final Fantasy Series, unknowingly reached a gold status when 2001 came around.
When Tidus, a young adult who is a well-known Blitzball player from Zanarkand, meets a mysterious man named Auron, all hell breaks loose. After being sucked into a time-lapse, sending him into an unknown world known as Spira, he slowly learns what’s at stake when he meets young summoner Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska, who defeated Sin prior years before. Sin is a massive creature of time and darkness shattering cities across Spira whenever it wishes and is considered the main antagonist of the story and Seymour Guado leader of the Guado. This is only the tip of the iceberg that dazzles players as they continue to upgrade their characters and realize each character's background, mainly Tidus, who faces haunting memories of his father Jecht, who disappeared 10 years before the story’s beginning.
Earlier releases of FF were nothing short of groundbreaking with their unique worlds and characters that shared common destinies while battling evil. So, when number 10 was released, new worlds were presented as well as the memorable role-playing mechanics, but the story hugely established itself.
Several relatable tendencies and issues are presented in this media. Daddy issues, the death of a brother, and following in the footsteps of parents are engaging lessons and morals explored in this crazy game of passion and love for diversity. At the same time, characters develop partnerships and connections on their journey to each city where Yuna builds relationships with locals and develops powerful connections with the “fayth,” spirits of the dead that have been killed by Sin.
One of the most memorable moments in the game comes shortly after Yuna and her guardians travel around Spira to Kilika islands. The group finds the town in disarray as Sin had attacked the city shortly before the group’s arrival. Yuna walks across the water with her staff performing “The Sending,” a ritual that sends souls to the Farplane where they can rest in peace. At this moment, players see the love Tidus feels toward the young summoner, a love that would not be explored until long after the two are well into the journey.
Players find the characters butting heads frequently over personal issues, but all remember their mission to bring “The Calm,” a decade lasting time of peace, from Sin until he’s reincarnated.
Like previous titles, each character has unique abilities: magic (white mage/black mage), strength, nimble and agility, or comedic relief. Final Fantasy X brings all the emotions with every character fueled by battles with enemies, the foremost being Guado. The latter will spark every player’s fury when he comes after Yuna and her guardians after she refuses to marry him.
Two years later, a direct sequel was released, Final Fantasy X-2, which explores more of Yuna’s character. In 2013, the two were remastered on newer game systems, and the releases still hold up to being one of the best video games ever released.
(11/04/20 10:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
When Disney+ was originally announced, I was excited to see the live-action Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe shows that were more closely tied together with the films. Having access to Disney’s vast vault of original classic movies and series was an added bonus that made the service seem like it would stand out among the rest. Once the streaming service finally launched in November 2019, things started off great in terms of content. They launched with The Mandalorian, one of the most exciting shows in recent years, as well as a large library of content, unlike other streaming services like Apple+ and CBS All Access that launched with smaller amounts. However, once The Mandalorian's first season came to an end, the streaming service quickly began losing steam and soon became one of the more disappointing services out there.
Bland Original Content
With the exception of The Mandalorian, Disney+’s original content has been quite poor. While I haven't seen all of their original content, from the good chunk that I have watched, the content has fallen between mediocre to terrible. Movies like Artemis Fowl, the live-action Lady and the Tramp, and Noelle have turned out to be awful, with movies like The One and Only Ivan being more bland than good. Their original films and television feel like the worst Disney Channel originals from the early 2000s, almost like they were the rejects for theatrical releases.
Promised content getting delayed
Due to the coronavirus pandemic interfering with the scheduling of many projects, Disney wasn’t able to release some of their originals this year as intended. Some of their main series that have been delayed are their Marvel shows, which were originally slated to release this year. However, the pandemic interfered with filming shows like Falcon and Winter Soldier, which ultimately caused them to delay the series into next year. Despite the pandemic interfering with some of Disney’s plans, they didn’t have any noteworthy originals coming to the service after The Mandalorian dropped. The finale season of Clone Wars was a nice addition back in February, but with Falcon and Winter Soldier originally scheduled for this August, that would have been five months without any noteworthy titles coming to the service. Sure, Disney+ has many nostalgic movies and television shows, but that’s basically all they’re relying on. Practically all of their films and television pander to younger viewers, not really making it worth keeping the service around just to stop by every once in a while for a quick nostalgic kick.
Now, I understand that Disney+ will probably never drop anything R rated on the streaming service; the fact that all of their original content focuses on kids and families makes the service feel worthless for those without kids. Being in college, I don’t have a kid I have to entertain, which is what Disney+ feels like it's meant for, and I don’t really spend time rewatching kids' shows and movies from my childhood. The Mandalorian did a great job of being appropriate for younger viewers, while also entertaining older audiences. Their live action Star Wars and Marvel series are truly the only content at the moment appealing to older audiences, making the service feel like it's alienating a large percent of audiences.
Confusing standards
One of the first controversies coming from Disney+ came from Splash. When Splash dropped on Disney+, some viewers were angry that they removed a quick butt shot. This wouldn’t be an odd move since Disney seems to want their service to be kid-friendly, and removing any form of nudity that didn’t fit their code isn’t outrageous. However, Disney has dropped X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men Apocalypse, and left both the nudity and cursing that they’ve removed from other films. So where does Disney hold their standards? They altered scenes from one film claiming it didn’t fall in line with what they considered wholesome for their service, but left it in another movie.
A more recent controversy comes from the release of Mulan. Originally, they dropped this movie on their service with a $30 charge to view it, with the movie eventually being available to all subscribers. Then, only a few weeks later, Disney released the movie to all streaming services, such as iTunes and Google Play, with the same $30 price tag. However, consumers were able to own the film on these services, unlike Disney+ subscribers who can only view the movie as long as they keep their account. Those who purchase the film on other services also get added special features that aren’t available when you get the film through Disney+. Although this feels like a desperate move from Disney to try to make up for lost revenue for not having a theatrical release, it seems like Disney is cheating their subscribers. By not giving subscribers special privileges besides being able to see the movie a few weeks early, it causes the service to feel more pointless, since you aren't getting anything special from being a subscriber. There is still a shred of hope for Disney+ to be one of the better services, but only if they can get over these few hiccups.
Sources: Deadline, MobileSyrup, Vanity Fair
Featured Image: TechHive
(10/27/20 10:00pm)
By: Nicole Thomas
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published at The Ball State Daily News. None of the content was altered but slight grammatical changes were made in order to conform with Byte style guidelines.
Celebrating Halloween may look different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To stay safe yet entertained, consider spending the spooky holiday with the top 10 highest-grossing horror movies, according to The Numbers, a movie industry data and research service.
“I am Legend”
Released: Dec. 14, 2007
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Will Smith, Alice Braga, and Dash Mihok
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68 percent
Synopsis: U.S. Army virologist Robert Neville is the last person in New York after a virus killed most of mankind. Immune to the virus, Neville must develop a cure as he defends himself against those who the virus turned into cannibalistic mutants called Darkseekers.
“It”
Released: Sep. 8, 2017
Rating: R
Stars: Jaeden Martell and Bill Skarsgård
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85 percent
Synopsis: Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, seven children called “The Losers Club” come together to fight the murderous clown Pennywise, who preys upon children in their small town in Maine.
“Hannibal”
Released: Feb. 9, 2001
Rating: R
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, and Gary Oldman
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 39 percent
Synopsis: FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling works to capture Hannibal Lecter before Mason Verger, Hannibal’s surviving victim, seeks his revenge.
“The Blair Witch Project”
Released: July 14, 1999
Rating: R
Stars: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86 percent
Synopsis: Three film students set out to film a documentary about the Blair Witch, a local legend in a Maryland forest. The students disappear, but a year later, their footage from what they discovered in the forest is found.
“It Chapter Two”
Released: Sep. 6, 2019
Rating: R
Stars: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and Bill Skarsgård
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63 percent
Synopsis: Set 27 years after “It,” this sequel follows the Losers Club again as they discover the murderous clown Pennywise has returned to their Maine hometown.
“Scream”
Released: Dec. 20, 1996
Rating: R
Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78 percent
Synopsis: The first movie of the “Scream” franchise focuses on teenager Sidney Prescott one year after her mother’s murder. A new killer named Ghostface attacks Sidney’s small hometown of Westboro as he murders his victims when they wrongly answer his trivia questions about horror movies.
“The Ring”
Released: Oct. 18, 2002
Rating: PG-13
Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, and David Dorfman
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71 percent
Synopsis: Journalist Rachel Keller investigates a cursed videotape where anyone who watches it dies a week later. After watching the video herself, Keller now only has a week to uncover its mystery.
“Scream 2”
Released: Dec. 12, 1997
Rating: R
Stars: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81 percent
Synopsis: After two students are murdered during a preview of “Stab,” a movie based on the events of the first “Scream” film, Sidney Prescott realizes there is now a Ghostface copycat on her college campus.
“A Quiet Place”
Released: April 6, 2018
Rating: PG-13
Stars: John Krasinski and Emily Blunt
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96 percent
Synopsis: Lee and Evelyn Abbott raise their family in silence to hide from blind, extraterrestrial monsters who kill anyone who makes a sound.
“Sleepy Hollow”
Released: Nov. 19, 1999
Rating: R
Stars: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Miranda Richardson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69 percent
Synopsis: Police constable Ichabod Crane investigates a series of decapitations in New York by the Headless Horseman.
Images and Featured Image: Taylor Smith and Kamryn Tomlinson
Sources: The Numbers, Rotten Tomatoes
(10/27/20 12:00pm)
Postponed from April of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, "A Modern Dance" finally premiered on Oct. 22 in the Korsgaard Dance Studio in Ball Gymnasium. Ball State dance students performed a series of modern-style dances in the show, which ran from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24. Department of Theatre and Dance faculty members Audra Sokol and Melanie Swihart choreographed the show, and took inspiration from current politics and modern styles of dance.
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(10/26/20 11:00pm)
The new play from the Department of Theatre and Dance "The Children's Hour" by Lillian Hellman, opened Oct. 15, 2020 and will be running until Oct. 18, 2020 at University Theatre. "The Children's Hour" follows the experience of two female teachers in the 1950s, who get accused of a forbidden act by a student, causing their lives to spiral downwards. This play is the last to remain in-person after COVID-19 concerns forced the Department of Theater and Dance to move the rest of the Fall 2020 lineup online.
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(10/19/20 9:00pm)
by Arianna Sergio
One of my favorite up-and-coming artists right now is BETWEEN FRIENDS. After hearing their debut single — “suburban wonderland” — my senior year of high school, I was immediately drawn to their sound. I dove head first into the rabbit hole that was their Spotify artist page and wondered how this band, that I now adored, wasn’t more popular. When scrolling through their artist page, I noticed that they only had their one single released, and it had a little over 1 million streams. 1 million streams is a significant amount don't get me wrong, but it blew my mind that they weren’t amassing more buzz. I was stunned. Their self dubbed “laptop-dream pop” was something I couldn’t get out of my head. I found myself reverting back to “suburban wonderland” over and over again. Now, they not only have that single, but they also have an EP titled, we just need some time together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKuBVGFnW24&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
From Savannah and Brandon Hudson to The Heirs to BETWEEN FRIENDS
Brandon and Savannah Hudson knew they had a passion for performing at an extremely young age. Brandon taught himself how to play guitar; from there, he rapidly grew curious and enthusiastic about writing his own music. Savannah began singing and dancing as soon as she was old enough to walk, and inevitably, she found herself writing music with Brandon. Thus, the start of a masterful musical duo was born.
In 2013, they auditioned for America’s Got Talent and got a resounding “yes” from all four judges. That yes brought them to Las Vegas, where again, the judges were impressed with how talented the 13-year-old and 15-year-old siblings were. It was at the Quarterfinals where their America’s Got Talent adventure ended. The duo didn’t collect enough votes to be sent to the Semifinals, so they packed their bags and headed home.
Two years later, the brother-sister duo formed a band with Savannah on vocals; Brandon on vocals and guitar; Brennan Benko on drums; Alex Flagstad on guitar; and Eian McNeely on bass and keys. This Los Angeles based band called themselves The Heirs, or HEIRS, and were recognized as an alternative/indie band. They released their debut EP “Ecliptic” and found themselves on the lineup of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour.
The Heirs quietly drifted apart, but some of the members stuck together. It was then, in 2017, when BETWEEN FRIENDS was created. The Hudson siblings assembled this new band with their drummer, Benko — from The Heirs — and this super-trio was now complete.
Their current sound has definitely changed from what The Heirs sound was. The Heirs were focused on the typical teenage angst and rebellion, whereas BETWEEN FRIENDS is mature and grown and focuses on young adult subjects — like the complications of love and heartbreak. They dress those topics up with an upbeat, pop overcoat.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="325"] Image from Discogs[/caption]
A breakdown of we just need some time together
BETWEEN FRIENDS released their debut EP we just need some time together on April 5, 2018. Throughout this EP, they exhibit what it’s like to be young in LA and share their intimate thoughts and feelings through the art of music. Their EP cover art displays Savannah’s bare back, with the title of the EP written on her in orange capital letters. She is surrounded by a wide array of colorful flowers. She is holding, presumably, her brother's hand to the right. From the aesthetic floral fantasy that is the cover to the personality-filled song titles, everything about this EP is absolutely sensational.
“iloveyou” is the first song off of their EP. This song discusses earnestly looking back on the old times you have with someone, specifically in a relationship. The line, “I love you, tenderly, tragically,” is repeated throughout the entire bridge and chorus. This line is one that their listeners can surely relate to. It’s certainly one that hits home for me. It’s about loving someone so dearly and so deeply, but at the end of the day it’s merely young love. That person wasn’t “the one.” It ultimately didn’t work out; therefore, it ended in tragedy. They did a live version of “iloveyou,” which is just as phenomenal, if not better, than the studio version. This song has such an alluring hook, and in the live version it’s the star of the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GJIJlVnLN4&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
“u can still come over” is an ode to past relationships that will always mean something to both parties involved, despite the fact that they are over. Even though those relationships are over, the memories and moments shared between those two people will always hold a special place in their hearts. This song sounds like it’s dripping wet, while also being a track pulse. With its downtempo beats, it’s a relaxed song you could blast on maximum volume in a car with friends and cruise and vibe to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62q0R9aCOR8&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
“affection” is my absolute favorite track from not only this EP but my favorite track they have ever released. They express an inability to find the desired affection they crave; because of that, they fall back on each other — like a back-up plan — to make up for it. They aren’t willing to let go of each other. Even if they are conscious that that person isn’t right for them and are still left unsatisfied in one way or another, they need each other to fill their needs of being loved and giving/receiving affection. Some form of affection is better than none even if it leaves you feeling empty. The chorus is, “Oh I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places/And we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces,” is the perfect example of that. This line emphasizes that they are not falling for each other, rather falling on each other. The tone of Savannah’s haunting vocals over the dreamy synth-beat will be sure to make you melt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJoMqYumxmA&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
BETWEEN FRIENDS explores being young, reckless, adventurous, and ultimately having fun in “better friends.” It’s about living by your own rules and doing things that you want to do. In the chorus, "If I looped my life to live again I'd pick more roses/ And pick better friends who like to sleep in the daytime/ Fall in love and kiss at night,” it discusses picking better friends who will do spontaneous things with them that makes them truly feel alive. This is my other favorite song on the EP because it’s nostalgic of the times of being in high school and doing wild things with your friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGASobWoiwE&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
“blushing!” is the final track off of their EP. It’s simply about wanting to see that special person who makes you giddy and gives you butterflies; makes your cheeks rosy; and leaves you, well, blushing. BETWEEN FRIENDS celebrates that feeling of new-found love and the delightful memories associated with that. The lavish melodies mesh well with Savannah’s soft and warm vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTIX0Z7Kfs&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
When will they release new music?
BETWEEN FRIENDS hasn’t released any new music since we just need some time together; that means they haven’t released new music in over two years. So, the question on everyone’s mind is when will they release new music? When will the wait for new music end? I can’t guarantee anything soon, but in an interview with Ones to Watch, BETWEEN FRIENDS said, “We thought this [we just need some time together] would be a good intro for us and we love being so hands on with everything throughout the process,” so I can infer that this EP being an “intro” for them means there will be new music in the future. At least, one can hope that there is. It did take them two years to release we just need some time together, so hopefully by the end of this year — or by the beginning of next year — we will have some new music to listen to. If not, you know I will be going back to “suburban wonderland” for the millionth time.
Sources: Galore, Ones to Watch, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Images: Discogs, YouTube
Featured Image: Forbes
(10/03/20 5:00pm)
EM | One coordinator Chin Ting Chan plays the accordion during a performance of "Stretched Together", an electroacoustic ensemble by Michael Pounds. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.(Left to right) Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays the synthesizer with fellow freshman music media production major Quincy Carr. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley performs on Michael Pounds' electroacoustic composition "Stretched Together," which was written in 2018. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.(Left to right) Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays the synthesizer with fellow freshman music media production major Quincy Carr. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays synthesizer on "Stretched Together". The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Professor of Music Theory and Composition Michael Pounds plays the electric bass on "Stretched Together." The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.Professor of Music Theory and Composition Michael Pounds plays the electric bass and live electronics for "Stretched Together", a song that he composed. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.Students, alumni, and faculty performed at the The EM | One Electronic Music Concert, which was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.The EM concert series showcases music made using loudspeaker playback, instrumental performers, or interactive computer performance systems. The EM | One Electronic Music Showcase displays experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.
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(09/18/20 5:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
Going back out into the real world can be scary, with businesses beginning to reopen, and this awkward transition period the world is in. If you find yourself in need of another reality, fall in love with one of the most passionate and well-written authors of our time. I encourage you to dive into one of five novels by illustrious author, screenwriter, and playwright Cormac McCarthy. McCarthy has captured an enormous fan base while telling gripping tales of horror and mischief around the United States. He is like no other author in his grasp of storytelling, and his work will stand the test of time. Several of McCarthy’s works have been turned into films, and you may recognize some of them. With 10 novels published, McCarthy has written some groundbreaking narratives. Let McCarthy’s dark world take you with these five novels of justice, revenge, and real evil.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="166"] Image from Amazon [/caption]
5. Suttree (1979)
McCarthy's 482-page semi-autobiographical novel is the heaviest of his works. Cornelius Suttree, a fisherman living off the Tennessee River, calls the South home while dealing with past trauma. Shunned from his family, Suttree makes his way across the Tennessee region to make a living. The story is intriguing but appears dry halfway through the novel. Only genuine McCarthy fans will tolerate the never-ending story of grief in Suttree’s life. With the grim take on life in Tennessee, McCarthy stays true to what his fans know best: life can always be worse. And life commonly is.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="178"] Image from Amazon [/caption]
4. The Orchard Keeper (1965)
The Orchard Keeper gave McCarthy a point on the roadmap. The novel established his career as a novelist, and it still entertains today. The story revolves around strange circumstances featuring orchard keeper Ather Ownby, who passes on his knowledge of the Tennessee wilderness to a boy named John Wesley Rattner. Rattner’s father, Kenneth, is killed by bootlegger Marion Sylder. Sylder develops a close friendship with Rattner, who is unaware Sylder killed his father. McCarthy captured the rich, unique nature of the Tennessee town, Red Branch. Nature itself seems like a character as it plays a significant role in telling the story of the people. Although it’s not his best novel, it’s still, patient, and cool with its suspense and eventual climax.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="164"] Image from Amazon [/caption]
3. The Road (2006)
By far McCarthy’s bleakest and darkest book, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the journey of a man and his son across a desolate wasteland that is written in a captivating and powerful manner. McCarthy keeps you reading by providing twists and scenes of terror that no human should have to encounter. During a time like this in America, the novel makes you wonder what could be in America. McCarthy leaves room for thought with his novels. What happened to the world in this novel? There are theories, but nothing is confirmed.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="180"] Image from Amazon[/caption]
2. Child of God (1973)
Evil roams the Tennessee wilderness in this McCarthy thriller. Like my number one choice, this novel revolves around a cat-and-mouse chase of good and evil. A violent nomad beyond humanity is murdering the public while the local sheriff is running off clues to track the man down. The narrative is tense and includes a kicker of an ending. For those that get a thrill from gruesome violence and an engrossing narrative, this is a strong recommendation.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="177"] Image from Amazon[/caption]
1. No Country for Old Men (2005)
By far McCarthy’s greatest piece of literature, this story revolves around greed and coming to terms with aging in a broken world. Hunter Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong. Nearby, lays a briefcase of a substantial amount of cash; here is where our story begins. McCarthy creates his greatest villain to date. Anton Chigurh, a ruthless hitman, hunts down Moss while sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, tries to keep up with the mess of events. The novel found its way onto the big screen in 2007. The film comprised a great casting group featuring Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Kelly Macdonald. The film also won four Academy Awards — Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay — and grossed $171.6 million. The film certainly lives up to the amazing story that McCarthy crafted.
Images: Amazon
Featured Image: Los Angeles Times
(09/10/20 5:30pm)
by Conner Tighe
Ms. Pac-Man blessed the world with a whole new generation of players in 1981. After Pac-Man’s success, creator Stan Jarocki decided he wanted to attract a wider audience demographic. While he was successful, this was unfortunately one of the many examples of sexism that spurred the video game world back then. Video games have since become more inclusive of the demographics portrayed in their games. According to a study by the Arts Management & Technology Laboratory, female characters were found to be over-sexualized due to the recent 3D technology in the mid-1990s. However, the underrepresentation of female characters and the sexism that surround femininity in the video game industry have decreased. Entire series have become centered on females just as much as male characters. Here are the top five most powerful women in video game history.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="86"] Image from Kingdom Hearts Wiki[/caption]
5. Kairi (The Kingdom Hearts Series)
A short-haired girl who runs alongside her friends Sora and Riku on Destiny Islands, Kairi was a part of many people’s childhoods as the darkness devoured her heart in Kingdom Hearts. Sora and Riku both go looking for Kairi, crossing paths and eventually battling each other. Kairi appears in the next two sequels where she’s strong, compassionate, and Sora’s love interest.
With the power to wield a Keyblade—like Sora and Riku—Kairi fights the darkness alongside everyone else. Her character becomes powerful, and the games show Kairi’s progression of age and the inner turmoil she has within. At times she goes from a damsel in distress to the one saving Sora. Kairi will stick with fans long after they finish the “Kingdom Hearts” series.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="244"] Image from A New Game Plus[/caption]
4. Chun-Li (The Street Fighter Series)
In 1991, fans of Street Fighter 2 could hear the sound of the legendary lightning kick coming from a woman dressed in blue. Chun-Li was the first female character in the Street Fighter series, which would later expand to an additional five games. Chun-Li’s lightning kick is nearly unstoppable and is a sure victory for players (I won’t tell you the secret button combo, though). Chun-Li seeks revenge for her father after he is killed by M. Bison, the main antagonist of the Street Fighter series.
3. Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds)
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its seventh season in 2003, a video game was released later that year featuring the cast. Most of the cast lent their voices to their animated characters for gamers to experience. Buffy Summers finds herself once again protecting Sunnydale from the ultimate evil known as The First, the first evil ever to be on Earth. Summers is witty and tough as nails. In the game, you battle vampires, demons, and zombies, playing not only as Summers but the other cast as well.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="421"] Image from: TechnoBuffalo[/caption]
A year earlier, Xbox released Buffy the Vampire Slayer exclusively on the Xbox, but the game doesn’t compare to Chaos Bleeds. The latter allows Summers to perform unique combos on her enemies. As Summers, the gamer will fight evil in the present-day Sunnydale and eventually travel to an alternate dimension Sunnydale where evil reigns. Summers has been a powerful female icon since the early 90s, and this game enforces that.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="270"] Image from Fanpop[/caption]
2. Ada Wong (The Resident Evil Series)
The Resident Evil series features a variety of characters, including multiple males and females. While Wong’s character wasn’t the first female to appear, she’s by far the most cunning and exciting character. Her persona is very much like a modern Catwoman with mysterious motives and an untapped consciousness that no one can figure out.
Wong’s first appearance was in 1998’s Resident Evil 2. Since then, she has appeared in Resident Evil 4 and 6. Mainly sporting red attire, her most famous outfit being the classic “woman in the red dress" look, she pops in now and then to assist the main characters in their times of need. She uses a grapple gun that commonly gets her out of sticky situations while also wielding a small arsenal of weapons. Wong is the definition of a double agent, and she shares some interest in rookie cop, Leon Kennedy—another main character.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="394"] Image from Game Informer[/caption]
1. Lara Croft (The Tomb Raider Trilogy)
While Croft’s character has appeared in a variety of Tomb Raider games, I’ll reference only the best: the Tomb Raider trilogy. Born into the Croft family, Lara shares a family interest in history and geography. After surviving a deadly plane crash in Nepal when she was little, she accidentally activates a strange dais that opens a portal. Lara’s mother, Amelia, disappears into the portal. Since then, Croft vows to find her mother while searching for Excalibur, a sword that activates the portal.
Croft is armed with her double pistols and climbing gear as she traverses deadly terrain, most of which are tombs. Croft’s story is interesting due to the mystery that surrounds her past and family. Amazingly agile, she is able to do acrobatics with ease. Croft uses these skills to outsmart enemies and booby traps within the tombs she traverses. Lara Croft was a large part of my childhood, and no other female character has come close to Croft’s brilliance.
Sources: Arts Management and Technology Laboratory
Images: A New Game Plus, Fanpop, Game Informer, Kingdom Hearts Wiki, TechnoBuffalo
Featured Image: Microsoft
(08/25/20 5:00pm)
by Emily Guffey
The Transformers series has had a wide variety of interpretations over nearly 40 years, each iteration taking its own spin on the characters, plot, and world. Transformers: War For Cybertron: Siege is another attempt at a reboot, this time trying for a more serious tone compared to previous animated iterations. Sadly, Siege is a flawed attempt at reviving this long-running franchise. With only six episodes, the series is unable even to find its footing, leading to rushed character arcs and unresolved plots. The animation and voice acting also suffer from this lack of groundedness.
Wasted potential
In the show, characters switch sides in an instant or provide little to no actual relevance to the plot. It’s difficult to connect with characters within such a small time frame, and much of the show depends heavily upon one’s knowledge of other Transformers iterations to understand what is going on. One thing I can commend the series for is taking certain characters into different directions unique to this series: Bumblebee is given a bit more background and personality, and Skyfire was completely reworked and given a new role in the main cast, which has been divisive amongst fans as his new personality is much more hostile than he was originally. I also enjoy the fact that what can only be described as D-tier characters (such as Spinster or Red Alert) actually get a little bit of screen time.
Then there is the actual story. Plot devices are introduced and destroyed within 20 minutes, and the same happens with superficial connections among characters. It’s even worse when many of these plot devices were created exclusively for Siege, but do nothing for the plot, and even open a few extreme plot holes that damage all involved motivations.
More than meets the eye
The animation itself is very hit or miss. Aerial fights can be very thrilling and high in action, but lack variety in attacks or creativity. When it comes to close combat, though, the animation takes a massive nosedive in quality. It often feels that certain frames are missing, creating janky fight scenes with very little flow. During more calm scenes, the animation can be a bit stilted, but it’s less bothersome in these moments.
Voice acting for a series like Transformers is daunting, as fans have very particular feelings about how certain characters should sound. The voice acting is decent, and there aren't any outstanding performances, good or bad, to report. Jake Foushee, the new voice actor for Optimus Prime, is the only one I’d like to commend, as his Optimus Prime voice has significantly improved since working on Transformers: Cyberverse, going from a bad impression to a decent interpretation.
The bright side
There are a few things I can commend the series on. I can also say I’m happy to see a focus on creating a more mature version of the series. There have been attempts at this before, such as the IDW comics, or the War For Cybertron video games that, while sharing the same name as this new series, are not related in any way. This is the first mainstream animated series to attempt this, and I would say that it got a lot right in the way of world building. It understands what it wants to be, but doesn’t understand how to make itself that.
Overall, I think the series needs a lot of work. Since this is meant to be a trilogy, one can only hope the next arc, Earthrise, will bring story and animation improvements, or may be given more time to flesh out its story.
Featured Image: IMDb
Images: IMDb
(07/03/20 3:22pm)
by Anthony Herring
The original game The Last of Us, developed by Naughty Dog and released on June 14, 2013, is nothing short of a masterpiece. The post-apocalyptic story follows two protagonists, Joel and Ellie, who must travel across the United States in the hopes that the latter can provide the cure to a fungal disease that has all but decimated humanity. Thanks to its complex and flawed characters, relentlessly bleak tone, and powerful themes, The Last of Us was critically acclaimed, with many (including yours truly) considering it to be one of the greatest video games ever made.
Save for a short story DLC called The Last of Us: Left Behind that was released in 2014, there was no real news that would hint at another adventure set in this universe. That all changed in December 2016, when The Last of Us Part II was officially revealed through an announcement trailer. The trailer depicted a nineteen-year-old Ellie playing guitar amongst the corpses of unknown enemies in a house, with Joel soon entering and asking her if she is “really going to go through with this” (with what “this” is referring to purposefully left unclear). The trailer ends with a close-up on Ellie, a hateful expression on her face, ominously replying, “I’m gonna find and I’m gonna kill every last one of them.”
Over the past few years, more details were revealed about Part II. The most notable ones were that the player would mostly control Ellie this time around (Joel was the main playable character in the original game), the sequel would be centered around hate (whereas the original game was centered around love), and that the game would be set five years later. After two delays, one for further development and the other due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, plus a massive, controversial story leak back in April, The Last of Us Part II was released on June 19, 2020. While the game has its notable strengths, Part II unfortunately could not reach the same heights as its predecessor.
Sit down kids, it’s storytime
On the surface, the basic plot of The Last of Us Part II is pretty straightforward: After a personal tragedy strikes, Ellie is compelled to go on a quest for vengeance against those that have wronged her. However, as the game’s story progresses, it becomes clear that there are many different layers to be uncovered. Said layers are primarily illustrated through two central characters: Ellie, a familiar character, and Abby, who is new to the series.
Ellie’s side of the story you play through first, and I genuinely was having fun playing through this half of the game. The characterization of her is excellent, offering great development from the more naive character Ellie was in the first game. Along with that, her relationship with her love interest, Dina, is wonderful, creating a realistic and believable bond between the two. Ellie’s portion also features a few flashbacks, further building onto the father-daughter relationship she has with Joel. I thought that these flashbacks were all great, as the tone and execution were reminiscent of Ellie and Joel’s relationship in the first game. When it comes to the actual story beats here, it does take some time to get truly engaging, which messes up the pacing of this portion a little bit. Thankfully, when the time comes for the story to grow darker for Ellie, the pacing and tone improve significantly, which profoundly impacted my perspective on what Ellie’s quest had come to symbolize. Ashley Johnson’s performance as the character also aids this, making the struggles that Ellie has to go through all the more heart-wrenching and believable.
Now we come to Abby’s side of the story. Much like Ellie’s side, flashbacks are also present here, and they help to flesh out Abby’s relationships to other characters, such as her boyfriend Owen. In fact, her side actually opens with a flashback, which offers an excellent recontextualization of certain events that transpired at the end of the original The Last of Us. As a whole, I found Abby’s side to be not as engaging as Ellie’s--at least not at first. As you are playing through Ellie’s side beforehand, this gradual momentum is built to the point where you feel that something big is about to happen. And it does—but then, the story cuts to Abby’s side for the second half of the game, and that feeling of momentum is completely lost. Thankfully, as her side progressed, it became more enjoyable. Laura Bailey’s performance aids in making Abby a bit more likable, and the sister-brother relationship she forms with a character named Lev gives Abby a sense of humanity. However, there are some moments that stoked my feelings of anger towards Abby, especially when I consider the horrible things that she committed in the game’s opening hours.
What’s old is new
Right out of the gate, one of the best aspects of The Last of Us Part II is the gameplay. It effortlessly builds upon the foundation that the first game created with smoother mechanics, like cleaner combat and shooting encounters, plus it adds new features, such as being able to go prone during stealth encounters.
One thing in this game that you should be prepared to do is collect a lot of materials. Since Part II is set over twenty years after a pandemic has ravaged the planet, materials are littered practically everywhere you go. Alcohol, rags, canisters, and even explosives can be found and used to craft useful items such as health kits, Molotov cocktails, pistol silencers, etc. This collecting and crafting system is instrumental to the player’s survival, so it is very important to take advantage of this. Environments are much larger than they were in The Last of Us, so I strongly recommend combing through each nook and cranny to find materials for crafting. Parts, which can be used to upgrade weapons, are also scattered throughout the world, so be on the lookout for those as well.
Part II features two types of enemies: regular humans and the Infected. The human enemies consist of the Washington Liberation Front, a militia that relies on military weaponry, and the Seraphites, a religious group that relies on bows and arrows. Combat encounters with these respective factions vary wildly. When fighting against the WLF, guns and explosives are the best methods to take them down. Unfortunately, the WLF uses dogs that can track your scent, which adds a layer of difficulty to these encounters. With the Seraphites, on the other hand, stealth is paramount. Bow and arrows, stealth takedowns, and the silenced pistol are crucial when fighting them, because if you’re too loud, these enemies will easily overwhelm you with their numbers and force you to retreat.
The Infected are a different beast entirely. The four main types -- Runners, Stalkers, Clickers, and Bloaters -- all return from the first game, and are far worse to deal with this time around, even on moderate difficulty (which is the setting I used). They are more aggressive and aren’t as vulnerable to certain attacks as they were in The Last of Us. For instance, don’t expect a Molotov to easily take out a group of Runners in this game. To shake things up, Part II also introduces a new type called the Shambler, which shoots out acidic spores from its body while it charges at you like an irritated rhino. These things are terrifying to deal with, and I shivered with fear whenever I discovered I was about to enter an encounter with one. There is also another Infected type that is introduced later on in Abby’s section of the game — the Rat King — that is quite a pain to fight.
High fidelity
Since Part II is a Naughty Dog title, it comes as no surprise that it is absolutely gorgeous. Environments are far larger than ever before, and as a result, the player is able to appreciate the level of craftsmanship that is put into them. For example, when I first arrived in Seattle as Ellie, I was greeted with this massive downtown area that was free to explore. All around were tall, decrepit skyscrapers that loomed over me, complete with a field littered with empty cars, trucks, and military vehicles that acted as a maze for me to navigate. The game sees that you travel all around the city, so players get to see a multitude of different environments rendered in astounding detail, such as dense forests, stormy beachfronts, and isolated, barren neighborhoods.
Featured Image: IMDb
Images: IMDb
(06/26/20 7:52pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
Originally intended to be released last August and then delayed for a May release, Disney finally cut bait with Artemis Fowl and dumped it onto their streaming service. Based on a series of children's books by author Eoin Colfer, the film had the potential to spawn a franchise for Disney, but given that it currently holds the terrible Rotten Tomatoes score of 10%, a sequel will probably never happen.
While I have never read the books myself, I remember them being a big deal with kids back in my elementary school. When I heard they were making a movie out of the series, my interest was piqued. When Kenneth Branagh was announced as director, I was excited to see what he could do with the source material and was thrilled at the potential for a new Harry Potter-esque fantasy series. The trailers for the movie looked intriguing and set up the potential for an epic franchise, yet Disney completely botched their opportunity with this film.
Artemis Fowl follows twelve-year-old Artemis, a child genius (who apparently has many gifts, although we never really learn what they are), as he tries to rescue his father from a mysterious villain. While trying to find his missing father, Artemis gets involved in a battle between a race of fairies who he believes has information on his father’s disappearance.
A messy plot
Let me be clear; this movie is TERRIBLE, and I usually can find something redeeming in just about any movie —not here, however. There are very few, if any, redeeming qualities to this film. Beginning with the plot, there is very little happening throughout the movie. A majority of the film takes place within Artemis’ house, with not much happening plot wise. With the character development and world building rushed in the very beginning of the film, the entire remainder of the 95 minute runtime focuses on Artemis trying to retrieve an object called the Aculos by kidnapping a fairy and keeping her hostage. What felt as if it should have taken about the first third of the movie is drawn out for the whole film, with everything wrapping up in a very rushed fashion in the end.
The movie also does one of the worst things a movie can do when banking on creating a franchise, which is that it makes the film feel like a commercial for a potential franchise without first making sure the film is at least good. There are many things throughout the movie that felt like it was a commercial, but one of the main ones was how the film ends. The entire movie builds up toward the end, only to have nothing resolved and end with the characters just now ready to begin their journey. Since it seems unlikely that a franchise will spawn from this film (at least I, along with the rest of the world, hope not), it’s frustrating that they crafted the entire film as a set-up for future sequels.
The plot also suffers from not sticking to its own mythology. While the movie had certain rules in place, many times the movie backpedaled on them to fulfill certain plot points. For example, there’s a device that allows users to freeze time around them that is introduced in the beginning of the film and reintroduced later into the third act, but there were changes in how the device was used. There could be some explanation for these changes, but they’re never addressed, and it comes off as sloppy writing. This happens multiple times throughout the movie, and it quickly becomes annoying how much the film doesn't stick to its own rules.
Boring and bland characters
Having great characters that the audience could get behind might potentially make up for a lackluster plot, yet the movie fails at that as well. Even with respectable performers like Judi Dench and Colin Farrell, the cast brings nothing to the film. Ferdia Shaw stars as Artemis, and this is his first role — which definitely shows. His performance was stiff and made his character lifeless. The supporting cast was humdrum as well, bringing hollow performances that do nothing to add to the film. It could potentially be a result of how poorly the characters were written in the script, but none of the actors stood out or brought anything to their characters to improve them.
The bare minimum
Ultimately, it felt as if the filmmakers were not trying to make an impressive film at all, but rather just a film that parents could play to distract their kids for a while. Kenneth Branagh is a very respectable director and has proven himself with some of his previous movies like Thor and Murder on the Orient Express, but here it feels like he was simply working for a paycheck. Performers like Ferrell and Dench have also proven themselves to bring quality performances, but here they too fell flat and seemed as if they were simply in it for the money.
Some might brush these critiques off and use the excuse that it’s a children's movie for its lack of quality, but saying it’s a children's film doesn't justify how terrible the movie turned out. Many kids’ movies have been able to entertain both kids and adults. Films like Harry Potter and The Goonies have been able to bridge the gap between children and grownups to make a satisfying movie for both, so it's disappointing to see a movie like Artemis Fowl where it feels as if little (if any) effort was placed into it by the filmmakers. What could have been a possible new Harry Potter or Percy Jackson franchise with a massive toy-box of a world to play in turned into a cheap, uninteresting mess of a movie with very little care put into it. Seeing the potential that was here for a new franchise with a deep mythology be completely wasted is disappointing, and it’s frustrating that a proper adaptation of the books wasn’t met.
Featured Image: IMDb
Images: IMDb
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
(06/03/20 8:34pm)
by Anthony Herring
(05/28/20 3:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
(05/18/20 8:22pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
(05/16/20 9:42pm)
by Conner Tighe
(02/20/20 8:00pm)
by Trevor Sheffield
Once upon a time in 1991, the world was introduced to Sonic the Hedgehog. Created by Japanese video game developer Sega and debuting with a self-titled game on the Sega Genesis console, he was created to embody everything “cool” at the time. Through an extensive ad campaign promoting this radical new character and the mythical power of “Blast Processing,” Sonic made people go wild. He came to dominate the 90s, with multiple successful games, cartoons, merchandising opportunities, and even theme parks.
Then came the new millennium, and it all went to Hell. In the aftermath of the franchise’s jump to 3D gameplay, the 2006 release of Sonic the Hedgehog (dubbed Sonic ‘06) sent the entire series back leaps and bounds both in terms of gameplay and in the eyes of the general public. Since then, the Sonic franchise has carried a massive chip on its shoulder, playing off its repeatedly low critical reception largely through making fun of itself, if the brand’s infamous Twitter account is anything to go by.
With a hotly anticipated feature adaption on our hands, one must ask: Can Sonic still leave an impact with modern audiences, even in an age where the franchise’s legacy is seemingly built upon irony and its own missteps?
(02/19/20 5:24pm)
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/user-519363288/remixed-s5e4-anti-love-music-for-this-post-valentines-day-season[/embed]
Welcome back to another episode of Remixed! Since there was love in the air last weekend, we talked about love songs and anti-love songs in the music industry today. Plus, some albums that have been made out of the notion of love. What have been some of our favorites? How have they shaped the notion of love in music? Find the answers to these and more in this week's episode of Remixed!
Hosts: Jack Gillespie, Tanner Kinney, and Katherine Simon
Edited by: Tanner Kinney
Graphic by: Katy Szpak
(12/13/19 8:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
When asked who I think is the greatest director of all time, directors like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, James Cameron, Ridley Scott, and Martin Scorsese come to mind. All of those directors are great in their own way, but Scorsese brings something special to his work. Films such as Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Casino, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Departed have shown that he is an extraordinary director. He crafts excellent stories that get audiences invested in the characters and what they’re doing. His films have a classy feel to them that no other director has been able to recreate. Because of this, I was incredibly excited to sit down and watch his latest film, The Irishman; however, i was greatly disappointed.
(12/04/19 9:01pm)
The Ball State Opera theatre program performed "Orpheus in the Underworld" Nov. 24-25 at Sursa Performance Hall. Unlike the traditional version of the Greek Myth, this performance took a more comedic and modern twist in telling the legend. The show featured English singing with full sets, costumes, and a chamber orchestra. Check out photos from the Nov. 23 rehearsal below by Kellyn Harrison.
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